


Again and Again

by cyandlne



Category: Tales of Graces
Genre: F/M, Fake Dating, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed, hahaha slay me, oh look another huscal fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-06-05 16:49:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6713026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyandlne/pseuds/cyandlne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hubert is just beginning to understand that inviting Pascal to the southern Strahta resort is going to be the most difficult two weeks of his life.<br/>If he can even last that long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Time

Hubert Oswell didn't exactly know when he had fallen in love first. But he could pinpoint every moment afterward, every time he fell in love again.

 

 

He remembered the Christmas morning from when he was four, opening up a ship in a bottle. He remembered his parents' eyes going wide when he smiled so brightly and laughed because he was simply so excited to have this nice thing. Something that was his own, something Asbel would never want and could never want. He had almost fallen in love then, but it was more of an infatuation.

 

He recalled the day his parents had first gotten him volume 1 of the Sunscreen Rangers Beach Brigade collection. When he immediately finished it and begged for more, and his collection of comic books and graphic novels grew and grew. That was love, in a way, but not like the love he knew now.

 

He remembered the day when he started to see Cheria a bit differently, when her hair started to glisten in the sunlight, when her voice was as sweet as sugar and her hands as soft as silk, when her smile was more than a friendly gesture. That wasn't love either, was it? No. That was a crush. That went away.

 

The truth was, Hubert didn't have an exact moment when he fell in love. The first time, it was a gradual thing. Him being invested in her thoughts and her mannerisms and her speech, and simply dismissing it as her just being a character of interest. She wasn't anything special to him, just special in her own right.

 

But the thoughts began to come more often and more quickly as the days and weeks went on, and he suddenly started to notice her talents and her character traits. How she could solve almost any puzzle in half the time it would take him, how she had a terribly memory yet knew so much, how she withstand her own smell. How she could blindly trust those around her, how she was selfish but generous, and how she pretended that when she did something impressive, it wasn't intentional. Those thoughts crept in, and often didn't leave for a while.

 

Eventually, it turned into examining her physical features. How her eyes could be cute yet seductive, her voice high pitched yet welcoming, her long, pale limbs on her short thin torso, her bust unusually large for someone of that stature - 

 

That was as far as Hubert would let those thoughts get. 

 

And after that moment, when he had battled with the idea that he could be in love (with her no less), it had come to him. This was a unfamiliar sensation, though not new to him. He had seen it in propaganda everywhere, around his family for generations, being tossed from the gossipy mouths of Yu Liberte citizens and even at him once or twice.

 

Hubert Oswell was in love.

 

The thought alone was enough to terrify him.

 

Most wouldn't be scared of being in love, they'd welcome it with open arms and embrace the dizziness and the confusion and the embarrassment because it all worked out in the end, like some kind of crazy roller coaster. 

 

But Hubert had formed the mindset ever since he left his hometown of Lhant that he was independent. He needed no one else.

 

However, being in love was different. Being in love meant you weren't a whole, you were only a half of one. And the other half was a mystery to you.

 

That was not something Hubert wanted.

 

At least, he reasoned with himself, she was gone. She was out of his life and it wasn't likely he would see her again unless he wanted to. The journey was over, she had more pressing matters to attend to.

 

But when King Richard sent a summons to Hubert, requesting the aide of the heroes of the old world, he knew.

 

She would be back.

 

That entire expedition had gone poorly. Hubert knew how to hide most feelings, but once again, love was new. It was out of his field of expertise, and there were moments when Hubert thought he might never master it in a practical way.

 

Ah, but such was love, right?

 

It made no sense, from a logical standpoint. There is absolutely no reason in terms of survival that human would need to fall in love. It seems more like a disadvantage! Rendering one vulnerable, at a hormonal imbalance, with impaired thinking, impaired judgement, inability to speak coherently and stay still. What purpose would that serve?

 

And yet, it was something Hubert had grown familiar with. After their second adventure to save the world once more, he truly felt that he wouldn't be Hubert without all this pining after the impossible. 

 

Ok, maybe his companions helped formulate that thought a bit.

 

But still, Hubert came to know love, and while he still loathed the idea of being dependent on another being, he accepted that he was in love, and would move on. He would learn to live with these feelings, and eventually just convinced himself that that was all they were. Feelings. For another person.

 

Oh.

 

Hubert really hadn't realized that yet. 

 

He could much more easily be in love with someone that didn't exist or didn't know he did. 

 

But she knew. She liked being around him, as far as he could tell, and she would constantly pester him. That made it hard.

 

And every time she came by after that second mission, he fell in love again.

 

He fell in love two months after they had said their final parting words, on his eighteenth birthday, when he traveled to the valkines to command his troops, yet no one was there. Of course, being upset, he angrily scavenged for his army. They had a job to do! What was the purpose in dilly-dallying? And upon his searching, he discovered her in front of his subordinates, smiling that radiant smile of hers like a madwoman.

 

"Happy birthday!" The crowd cheered, her voice especially loud and commanding among them. Festivities ensued, and when asked about how she knew it was his birthday (as he didn't care much for celebrations and preferred to not have the information leaked due to this), she simply shrugged and replied, "I know all my friends' birthdays."

 

His heart fluttered a little after that comment, even though he knew they were friends, but he looked away and pretended to not acknowledge it. That was certainly a moment when he had fallen in love. 

 

Or another 4 months after that, when she had burst into his office, yelling about some diagram and explaining her plans for Duplemar. He listened intently, but she spoke quickly and it was hard to understand at times.

 

"You can't just barge into my office like this-" He argued, though in reality he was all too happy to see her. 

 

"Sorry, sorry! I was working on the hot water system for Forbrannir, and it was kind of giving me a whole bunch of trouble, so I tried working backwards and totally realized that we could do the same type of thing to Duplemar? We could so totally add panels and stuff to regulate eleth flow in and out do places like Oul Raye would have more eleth and the wells in the desert would have water again and..."

 

He waved a hand in dismissal. "That's alright. You don't need to explain the specifics. I think it's a wonderful idea." He flashed one of his rare smiles. It was comforting to know that Strahta was in the back of her mind. "However, I'm not the one you need permission from. Have you spoken to the President about it?"

 

"No, not yet..." She rocked on her heels, indicating she was a little nervous about the subject. "Well, I mean, I'd check with you first. Then, if you said it was good to go, he wouldn't disagree with you, right?"

 

"Are you suggesting I'm the one to tell him?"

 

"Um...yeah...but don't get me wrong! I'd totally be there with you to help."

 

He looked at her. This was one of the only times he had seen her nervous and dependent. It was kind of cute, in its own way. 

 

And how could he say no to that?

 

"Very well," He stood and walked in front of his desk. "Shall we go now, or -"

 

His question was interrupted by Pascal throwing her arms around his shoulders and embracing him tightly.

 

"Ohmigosh, thanks! You're so great, Hu, you know that?" She pulled her head away to plant a small, friendly kiss upon his already red cheek. "Let's go now! I'm pumped." She proudly trotted out of the room, much more confident than before. 

 

Hubert stood, dazed, his posture still a little off than when she had hugged him. His fingertips grazed his cheek, a little wet from the kiss. It wasn't until he couldn't hear her anymore that he knew he was still alive, because he could hear his heart beat at a million miles a minute. 

 

  
_Anything_ , he mused to himself, his lips still a little parted.  _I would do anything to have her that close to me again_.

 

That was the third time.

 

The third time he had fallen in love.

 

The third time he had fallen in love with her.

 

From that moment on, he became a bit more confident in regards to her, initiating more conversations via communicator than before, sending more invitations for her to come visit.

 

Perhaps, he thought, I've been attacking this all wrong. Perhaps I need to confront her more to get an understanding of these feelings, to combat them and learn how to manage them properly.

 

And in the off chance that she could come visit, contrary to his belief, he fell in love with littler things. Before, it had taken him weeks, even months to fall in love with her. Now, it would take seconds. A simple little "Hu~" in that singsong voice of hers, and he was smitten. The fact that she would twirl her hair around her finger when she was pretending to think, and how she would scratch the back of her one leg with her other shoe when she was actually thinking made him dizzy and warm.

 

This, of course, got progressively worse.

 

Was it normal to fall in love with a friendly smile? Or the way she would blink twice when she was confused? Or when she would be trapped in conversation with someone they had gossiped about before, and she'd shoot him  _the look_  or just barely wave her hand at him? Was it normal to fall in love with those things, and her, all over again, and again and again? 

 

Sure it was, he proposed. This is love we're talking about, after all.

 

Maybe this wasn't the best idea, Hubert chastised himself, picking the communicator up from off of his nightstand. Maybe I shouldn't be doing this. Maybe I'm setting myself up for failure, he thought, typing out his message. She'll say no, he reasoned, reading over the message for any possible errors in grammar, spelling or wording of his phrases. She won't want to. She won't. And that's that.

 

Ah, but he had just invited her, hadn't he?

 

He collapsed on his bed, cursing himself for only now realizing inviting her was such a huge mistake and definitely not a thing he should have done. He stared in agony at the screen on the communicator, desperately wanting to do whatever it took to stop that birdie from getting to her.

 

_A few of my close family friends have invited my father and I to stay in a resort hotel near the southern coast of Strahta. They informed me I was allowed to bring a plus one. Would you like to come with me? We would go on Saturday, and we'd be staying for about two weeks, but I know how busy you've been. Perhaps you'd like to relax a little?_

 

Ah, good. Great. Another day, another rejection. Luckily, he said nothing about the president and his daughter being there.

 

Oh, right. He would, eventually, have to inform her of that. 

 

A few hours passed, and he finally got a response. His hands shook as he picked up the communicator and read her response.

 

_Ooooh, sounds fancy! Thanks for inviting me, I'd love to come! I'll swing by your place Saturday morning, sound good? See ya then!_

Hubert's heart stopped. She had actually agreed?! Once again, he fell onto his bed, yet in a much happier and contended mood than before. If she were there, it might be a little easier to deal with -

 

Oh. Right. His father.

 

This was no doubt going to be a chance for Garret to, once again, try and set up Hubert with Paradine's daughter. He had certainly seemed like he didn't want Hubert to bring along an extra guest, but he wasn't going to say no. Not in front of the others, anyway. And Hubert would have the awkwardness of that situation going on top of the mess of feelings that existed whenever the-girl-he-really-wasn't-supposed-to-be-bringing-anyway was around. 

 

  
_It was of little concern,_ he thought. _Or at least, for now. I'll deal with it Saturday._

 

*************

 

He should not have waited until Saturday, he realized, because explaining all this via communicator would have saved him the trouble of stuttering and embarrassment.

 

When the doorbell rang, he was the one to answer it, and was greeted by a quick hug.

 

"Hello hello!" She sang, then pulled away. Two suitcases with the rolling handles pulled up surrounded her. She wore a white tank top (through which her bra was visible, which was not something Hubert had wanted to see) and navy shorts. Flip flops sat beneath her feet.

 

"Good morning," He said, a little more used to her hugs by now, but not enough to keep his breath from hitching a little. She was still very, very close to him. "I see you're all packed to go. Come on in."

 

He led her into the main living room and had her set her things by the door, where his already laid. They say on opposite couches, though facing each other.

 

"So, you never even told me who we're staying with! Anyone I'd know?"

 

Hubert tugged at his collar. "Not that I know of at the moment..." His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. "But T-The President and his daughter are going to, to be there."

 

"Oooh, nice. It's been a while since I talked to Dylan! But...his daughter?" She furrowed her brow. "Is she coming because...you know...your dad?"

 

Since they had left Fodra one last time 8 months ago, Hubert had informed Pascal of the specifics of the offer of marriage to Paradine's daughter. She was now much more against it than she had been on Telos Astue that night.

 

Hubert cleared his throat again. "I, I am led to believe so."

 

Nothing was said after that for a little bit, and Hubert felt awkward and uncomfortable.

 

"It's ok." She finally said, her voice taking on that natural tone that made Hubert shiver. "If he tries anything, I'll help ya out. I am notorious for not reading situations and interrupting important conversations, if I may brag."

 

Hubert did everything in his power to stifle a laugh. "Thank you. I appreciate it." 

 

"That's what friends are for, right?"

 

He nodded.

 

"Hubert? Are you ready to go?" Garret yelled from the kitchen, coming into the living room. Upon seeing Pascal, his expression shifted, but to what Hubert was not sure.

 

"Ah, if it isn't the Amarcian genius herself. I should've expected Hubert to bring his closest  _friend_ ," He smiled. "Along on this vacation. So nice to see you!

 

"You too, Mr. O!" Pascal seemed unaffected. "Just let me know if there's anything I have to do."

 

"Will do." He replied. "Well then, are we ready to head over? The ship shall be arriving soon."

 

The two nodded and got off of the couch. Maids quickly took Hubert and Garret's bags, while Pascal insisted on rolling her own.

 

They got a Turtlez Transport to the port, and then boarded the ship. A few others they were to be staying with were there, including the hosts. They ate lunch together on the ship. Hubert and Pascal sat next to each other. 

 

"So, Hubert," The hostess asked, leaning in. "Are you going to introduce us to your friend?"

 

"Ah, of course. Everyone, I'd like you to meet Pascal." Pascal bowed her head. 

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Thank you so much for allowing me to come these few weeks."

 

Hubert thought the words felt stiff and practiced. He didn't care for them all that much.

 

"Pascal is an Amarcian researcher. She's the one who is currently in charge of Project AQUA, regarding the valkines."

 

"Oh! Cute and smart! You've got quite the catch there, Hubert." Another lady added. Most of the aristocrats nodded in agreement, though Hubert couldn't see his father.

 

His face felt hot. He hadn't even considered this! If he brought a girl, of course everyone would think they were together! Hubert had told his father that he was inviting "a female friend of mine", and it must have spiraled from there. He had always been secretive and embarrassed about his love life, how could they expect anything else?!

 

He looked at Pascal, who seemed to just being staring forward. How would she feel about this?! Suddenly, she smiled.

 

"That's what I've been telling him too!" She giggled.

 

Hubert felt fingers curl around his own, and looked down. They were Pascal's. What was she doing? Did she not understand the impression this was giving?!

 

"How long have you two been together?" The host asked, smiling.

 

"Almost two months," She answered, without skipping a beat. Hubert glanced down at their plates, and realized they were both finished. 

 

"Pascal? Would you like to join me outside on the deck for a few minutes?"

 

"I'd love to!" Pascal got up, still holding Hubert's hand. The two said nothing as they walked up to the deck. It was only once they stood in the sun that Hubert wriggled his hand free from Pascal's.

 

"W-What in the world are you doing, Pascal?!"

 

"Isn't my acting good?" She asked, rocking on her heels and completely ignoring the question in a way only she could.

 

"What even are you trying to do?!"

 

"Shhh." She brought a finger to her lip. "The best way to keep your dad and every one else out of your hair to date the President's daughter? Say you're already taken!"

 

"A-Are you suggesting that I, that we..." 

 

"Bingo. If we pretend to date, they'll stay out of your hair. Think about it!" She leaned on the rail of the deck. "We don't even have to really change anything we would do normally. Maybe just learn to hold hands and hug and kiss more," She snickered.

 

"P-P-Pascal!" He yelled, his voice cracking again.

 

"Well, we want to be convincing, don't we?" She twirled her hair around her finger, and somehow Hubert didn't think she was pretending to be lost in thought. Was she...flirting? He removed his glasses and punched between his eyes.

 

"No, we want to be honest."

 

"Yeah, well, I kinda already lied to them, so that idea's kinda dumb, huh?" She smiled.

 

And she was right. And Hubert hated her for it. Whether he wanted to or not, he was forced to play along, to save both their reputations. 

 

But would it really be that bad? He would get to spend these two weeks with Pascal; anything would else would seem unnatural. And he would get to be close to her, to hold her hand often and sit next to her everywhere and hug her casually and softly lay kisses on her forehead, and her nose, and her cheek, and her lips...

 

Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad.

 

"So! Wanna practice kissing now, so it's more natural when we have to do it for real?"

 

His face went red. "A-Absolutely not! I'm going back below the deck."

 

No. These weeks would be the hardest weeks of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, a work with actually more than one chapter, who knew~

Hubert never did end up going below deck, he just turned toward the stairs, turned back, then leaned on the rail of the ship next to his fake partner. They didn't speak much, for Pascal thought there was no need for words, and Hubert was too embarrassed to really continue any conversation. Honestly, did this girl have any shame in what she said?! Even if it was a joke, it was still ridiculous. 

 

"I'm sorry," She eventually said, taking him by surprise. "That wasn't...um...we don't have to...do those things, if you don't want to."

 

"N-no!" He managed, in that soft voice that only came out when he was truly concerned. "I mean, that is to say, I would rather suffer through doing such...intimate...actions," He referred to kissing and hugging casually as intimate. Smooth, real smooth. "Than deal with the repercussions of lying to my family and friends."

 

"Yeah. Sorry for that too." She slouched, and her chin fell into her arms on the rail. "I shouldn't have just thrown you into that. It was my decision to make you entirely involved in it."

 

She continued to speak as Hubert watched her. Her words were so precise, almost like she had rehearsed and memorized it so no ums or uhs managed to sneak into her speech. Yet it all seemed so casual, like she just said whatever came to mind. Although, her words seemed sincere, as if she were reading from a letter. How could she do that?

 

"It's just, I figured that it would be easier for you to deter your dad's intentions if you were already taken. And honestly, I don't think it would be all that bad to - "

 

He had stopped listening at this point. He had planned to do something bold and was hoping to make it as effortless as possible. With a stiff and unnatural movement, he put his hand on her shoulder. 

 

"It...it is not an issue. You were smart to react that way. I believe it is the smartest course of action to be taken for my well being, and I appreciate that."

 

"You're not mad?" She said, casually grabbing the hand on her shoulder. Hubert assumed she was going to take it off, but she just left it there.

 

"I am...temporarily upset...but no. I'm not mad. And I'll get over it." He stared out at the sky ahead. Had it always been that beautiful? And had Pascal's eyes always reflected it so brilliantly?

 

"Heehee," She grinned. "That's what I like to hear. You've really turned a new leaf, huh, Hu?"

 

He turned to her and blinked. "W-What do you mean?"

 

"Well, think about it. A year ago, you wouldn't have thought twice about not trusting me again, right? You'd be crazy reluctant to even forgive me," She brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, and Hubert fell in love again. "But you've grown a lot. And I'm proud of ya!" She swung her arm around his shoulder and gave a hearty laugh that almost sounded forced. He was...hesitant...to embrace the contact, but he accepted it nonetheless.

 

Hubert swallowed for the tenth time in five minutes. "I suppose I have you to thank for that," He said, straightening his posture and allowing for Pascal's arm to fall off of him.

 

"Huh?"

 

"It was you and Captain Malik that taught me to trust in the first place," He said, only truly realizing it now. "My instincts told me not to believe your claims and put faith in you, but time and time again you proved me wrong. And it helped me learn that my instinct isn't always right. So, thank you."

 

He had expected an immediate response, but he had been wrong once again. The only sound that could be heard was the rolling of the ocean waves beneath them. A few gulls squawked, and a few winds blew, but it was still peaceful in its own right. 

 

Well, aside from the fact that Hubert thought he was going to die of embarrassment if she didn't say something. 

 

He was afraid to look at her, in fear she might be grinning like she thought that was funny, or just looking at the ocean, not even thinking what he said was important.

 

"Hu," She eventually said, in a wistful and soft voice. He practically jumped out of his skin. It was only now that he had the courage to look at her. She had been staring at him for the entire time, he surmised, and...were those tears?

 

"That's sweet, Hu," Her hands went to her eyes to wipe them. So they had been tears. "Like, really sweet. Thanks. It means a lot to me."

 

"It, um, it means a lot to me too." He replied, unsure if he should add anything else.

 

"Heading for land in 30 minutes!" The  lookout boomed from the mast of the ship.

 

The two looked out at the ocean simultaneously and, sure enough, land was there.

 

"Woah," Managed to escape Pascal's lips. "That place looks...huge. And fancy."

 

A building could be seen resting on the land, larger than Hubert's manor. This was the first time he had seen it as well, or at least from what he could remember. Windows covered wall to wall of the wooden building, and decks along every few rooms of every story. Palm trees swayed back and forth surrounding the resort hotel, and a dock could be seen near the front entrance. It looked serene.

 

"Indeed," Hubert said, adjusting his glasses. "It's the first time I've been here. Apparently, it's a very esteemed resort hotel and spa."

 

"Never considered myself much of the spa type," Pascal smiled and stretched. "But there's a first time for everything, huh? My guess is I'll be spending most of my time near the pool or on the beach."

 

Hubert's mind suddenly flashed back to their last adventure on a beach, where Pascal had worn such a ridiculous bathing suit. Sure, it was good for him, because not much of her skin was exposed, but what would his relatives think?

 

"I even bought a new bathing suit, just for this trip!"

 

Hubert sighed audibly. She looked at him.

 

"Oh, just thinking about how nice the water would be. I've heard the coast down here is much cleaner than up north. The ocean is a shade of cerulean like no other."

 

"That so?" She put an elbow back on the rail. "Probably has to do something with the eleth flow here. I'll have to investigate -" She looked at him for approval, but was met with discontent. "What's the matter?"

 

"Huh?" Hubert realized what face he was making and he kicked himself. Nice. "Nothing's wrong."

 

"You're lying," Pascal pouted. "Seriously. What's up?"

 

"I'm telling you, nothing's -" He looked at her. Perhaps this was why she only considered them friends. Perhaps this was why they saw each other once every three months, if he was lucky. Why it had been almost two years and their relationship had barely grown since the first day. Perhaps it was because he was constantly so dishonest with her. Because he was afraid of the truth, or more specifically, how she would react to it. He glanced at her again, a look of concern on her face. "Nothing's wrong. Really."

 

Dammit. He couldn't manage to speak the truth, once again. Why couldn't he stop lying? Or, at the very least, lying to her? He didn't have to be afraid any more, he could do as he pleased. Yet he was still to frightened to let his feelings show.

 

"Yeah, right." Pascal scoffed, but then smiled. "Whatever. If you wanna tell me, come tell me."

 

There was something about the way that Pascal could just deter negativity without forgetting about it either that made him fall in love again.

 

He wanted to tell her. He really did. But he didn't want to sound selfish. Honestly, asking the girl who lives off of research to not research and spend more time with him for these two weeks in attempt to get closer to her would be pretty rude, huh? So he kept his mouth shut, in order to save his reputation. But it didn't really do much.

 

"I will," He lied. "At least, from now own," he muttered under his breath. Gotta stop lying. 

 

"I'll go get the rest of the gang. They'll want to check in ASAP, huh?" Pascal asked, not really expecting an answer. 

 

"I suppose so," He said, letting his voice trail off in a way that made it seem like he had more to say. Did he? He didn't think so. "I'll come with you."

 

Pascal turned to him, expecting an explanation.

 

"If you establish any specifics of our fake relationship, whether intentional or otherwise, I need to be there." Pascal cocked her head, clearly still not really understanding. "If, for example, they ask us both where we had our first date at separate times, it would be quite a problem if I said the beach and you said the park."

 

Pascal giggled, and Hubert didn't quite understand why, but he smiled.

 

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Alrighty, let's go!"

 

*********

 

By the time the ship had docked, the sun had already begun its official descent westward. Its power was less now and wasn't beating down like it had been at lunch. Bellhops from the resort had come onto the loading dock to escort the passengers and bags into the building. Hubert fell in love again when Pascal insisted she would get her own belongings, go into the building, and come back to get more bags. 

 

"Right this way, sir," A bellhop surprised him while reaching for his suitcase.

 

"That's fine," Hubert said, grabbing the handle quickly. He could stand to learn a thing or two from Pascal. 

 

"Oh," The bellhop was surprised, but then smiled. "Alright. Please, follow me."

 

Hubert did as he was told.

 

Upon entering the resort building itself, a large fountain in the middle of the lobby greeted him. The ceiling was higher than the ones he had known and a large desk sat at the back. Two elevators sat on both the left and right wall, with a door leading to a stairwell on the nearer end. Two halls lead out to different places behind the elevators. A mosaic mural beamed proudly behind the desk. 

 

But Hubert didn't have time to notice all that before he saw Pascal talking to the connoisseur. He quickly walked up to the two of them. 

 

Contrary to his belief, they were discussing the history of the building, as opposed to any rooming arrangements. 

 

"Indeed," He heard the man behind the desk say. "The fountain before you is of Amarcian origin," Pascal put an elbow on the desk and turned to the fountain. "Few like it remain today."

 

The way his tone sounded, Hubert had realized he had said this to many people before.

 

"Amarcian, huh?" Pascal walked over to it. She bent over, inspecting the middle. "Did you have this imported, or...?"

 

"Not at all, Madame. The founder of this hotel had an Amarcian friend who built this himself."

 

"You wouldn't happen to know his name, would you?" Pascal said, not looking at the man. 

 

"Ah, I'm afraid not."

 

"Yeah, me neither, which is weird, because if he had built it back when you said, 150 years back, his name would've been engraved in it. The Amarcians are a very smart people and knew historians would like the information in the future. But I see no name. And this style has not been very prevalent in Amarcian history,"

 

Hubert looked. Her lecture had drawn a crowd, mostly of passengers on the ship. They watched in awe. Garret was smiling.

 

"Because it used a lot more eleth than water was displayed, and Amarcians are all about efficiency. The only ones I've seen like this are back at the Enclave, and even then, they're only prototypes. None actually have any eleth flowing through them, because they don't work, and yet, they're all engraved."

 

The connoisseur looked at her in fear. Hubert grinned.

 

"But don't worry! I won't tell anyone you've got," Hubert noticed her voice getting louder and louder. "A forged Amarcian fountain in your lobby. It'll just be between us!"

 

Garret clapped his hands together and went up to the desk.

 

"Nice," Hubert leaned towards Pascal and whispered to her. "I've seen so many people call their things Amarcian just to attract business."

 

"Just doing my part in saving the reputation of my people." Pascal smiled. "And besides, he knew it was fake. I wouldn't have done it if he didn't think he could fool me."

 

"I'm sure."

 

Garret came back with a multitude of key cards and passed them out accordingly. "These are the keys to your suite," He announced. "You put them into the door mechanism until the light turns green, and then you're allowed inside. The door will lock every time it's closed as well." Each person received their card, then a bellhop or maid to escort them to their rooms. Garret had three left when the final bellhop came and escorted him, Hubert and Pascal to an elevator. 

 

"Room E2 and room E3."

 

"Of course, sir." The bellhop pushed a button labelled E.

 

The pair did not speak inside the elevator. They wanted to, but Garret left a strange, lingering tension that kept their mouths shut.

 

The elevator dinged and the door opened. The bellhop escorted them out into the hallway, then to doors. 

 

"Mister Oswell, your room key, please." The bellhop motioned toward Garret, who happily obliged. He pulled out a card for E2, and the bellhop opened the door and let him inside. The room had a king sized bed against the right wall with two nightstands surrounding it, and a large balcony on the far wall. He handed the other two cards to Hubert.

 

They were both labelled E3.

 

Oh.

 

Oh no.

 

"Master Hubert?" The bellhop asked, and Hubert, shocked back into reality, looked at him. "Your key card, please."

 

Hubert said nothing as he handed him one of the E3 cards. Pascal looked on excitedly as the bellhop opened the door.

 

The room was almost identical to Garret's, albeit a bit of a different color scheme. Pascal stepped inside, while Hubert just stood in front of it.

 

"Uh, Master Hubert?"

 

"Oh! Right, sorry. Thank you." He stepped into the room and closed the door, then immediately sank to the floor.

 

"What's wrong, Hu?" Pascal said, from the bed. 

 

"This was a terrible idea..." He muttered, but loud enough for Pascal to hear. 

 

"What was?" She said, almost in a position to pounce now. Eagerly, she bounced a little on the bed.

 

Hubert didn't really respond, he just sat on the floor in misery. Of course the host would book him a room for him and his guest. Of course he would think it was his girlfriend. Of course he'd think they'd be comfortable sharing a bed. Of course he booked a room with only one bed.

 

"It's not so bad," Pascal said, almost reading his thoughts. "I mean, I will admit I am kinda a cover stealer, but I'll try my best not to!"

 

"It's not a concern. I'll just sleep on the floor." Hubert stood up and swiftly turned toward the left. Another hall was there, with a vanity on the end and two doors, the one on the right leading to the bathroom and the other leading to the shower and tub area.

 

"Not on my watch, kiddo," Pascal pouted, but in a sort of motherly way. Hubert wondered where the kiddo had come from. "That floor will mess up your back."

 

"That's why the spa is here," He replied, and expected her to laugh, but she didn't.

 

"No. We're sharing this bed, and that's final. Jeez, I know I'm not the best sleeping buddy in the world, but why do you care so much?"

 

Hubert could feel his heart beat faster and his cheeks get hotter. He didn't have much time to think before he spoke.

 

"Sharing a bed is something couples do! Not friends!" 

 

"But we are a couple." Pascal replied, and Hubert choked on his own spit. "Well, in the eyes of everyone else, anyway."

 

"Y-You seem to be forgetting we're not actually a couple! Why are you treating this like its fun?!" He heard his voice getting louder, but he didn't care.

 

"It kind of is!" Hubert wasn't looking at her, but could almost hear her smile. "It's all sneaky spy stuff. It's totally fun!"

 

"Not when you're forced to do romantic things with..."With someone you love but doesn't love you. That's going to be hell, and Hubert knew it. He finally turned to face her, and her eyes went wide. "With...with someone who isn't actually your partner!"

 

Pascal's expression quickly shifted to that of a worried look. "I'm...sorry." She managed in a whisper. "I really didn't think...it wasn't...it's not that big of a deal to me..."

 

"Not that big of a deal?!" Hubert said, and then realized she was apologizing, and kicked himself for being so angry still. He took a deep breath. "I don't see how you can take such things so lightly." He finished, in a much softer voice than before.

 

"I told you earlier, on the boat." Pascal frowned.

 

"You...you did?"

 

"Yeah," She said, crossing her arms. "I did. But if you weren't listening, than that's fine. I take it back anyway. Let's go downstairs right now and clear things up with your family." She began to get off of the bed. "I'll book my own room, and then you won't have to be bothered with me."

 

"Pascal, you don't have to -"

 

"No, I insist. After all, we aren't 'partners'."

 

"Pascal!"

 

"They'll see us as liars and won't really trust us again, but who cares? As long as we don't have to hug and kiss and share a bed -"

 

"Pascal, that's enough!" He said, loudly once again. He went over to her, now standing close to the door. "I'm sorry. Sharing a bed is a new thing for me. It is something I will have to get used to, and you would know I'm a little hesitant to...try new things. But please, do not misunderstand my intentions. If I have to do any of these things, they'd be with you. You would always be my first choice to be my fake partner."

 

"Really?"

 

"Really."

 

Pascal pulled him into a hug, and started to sniffle. He awkwardly placed his arms on her back.

 

"Y-You're so good at being stupid," She sniffled. "But you're even better at cheering me up."

 

"It's alright. I...I admit, I should have been listening to you on the boat. I'm afraid I lost my train of thought."

 

"It's ok," She squeezed him a bit tighter. "I just kinda said what you said. About how you'd be my first choice to kiss and hug and share a bed with. If I had to."

 

Hubert was touched by these words and would probably be overanalyzing them later, but he fell in love once again.

 

"Look, we're already hugging," She said, catching him off guard and cause him to release his grip on her. She held steady around him. "Looks like you're getting used to being my fake boyfriend already, huh?"

 

Hubert smiled at her. "I suppose so. Shall we head back down to the lobby?"

 

She nodded silently, but smiling.

 

**********

 

When the two reached the lobby, they were met with an array of body guards surrounding something they couldn't see. 

 

"Oh, yeah, I meant to ask earlier," Pascal whispered. She had insisted on holding hands on the elevator, to, y'know, get used to it. "But how come the president wasn't on the boat with us?"

 

"He had to be privately escorted. Travel is dangerous for him, but now that he's here, the guards will leave."

 

Almost on cue, the guards took their leave, with the president near the fountain. The two heard him ask the connoisseur about it.

 

"It's an old Amarcian fountain. Few like it -"

 

"Seriously?" Pascal whispered. "He's still gonna try with this?"

 

"Fascinating. A friend of mine would likely know all about these things. She is an Amarcian as well."

 

"Splendid! I thought the race was extinct, but it seems the knowledge must live on. " The connoisseur replied. "You must bring her here at some point, sir."

 

Pascal walked out into the lobby at his point, with Hubert following her by the hand.

 

"Ah, here she is now. Pascal, have you seen this fountain yet? The man behind the desk says it's Amarcian. Do you recognize it?"

 

"Hmmmm..." Pascal faked looking at it intently, and twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Oh, yeah! I'm pretty sure my great grandpa invented this fountain! I think I saw the prototypes in his old notes!"

 

Hubert snickered and looked the connoisseur, whose mouth was wide.

 

"I see. That's very interesting." The president replied. 

 

Pascal turned to the connoisseur and winked. 

 

"Hubert, Pascal, glad to see the two of you doing well," Dylan greeted them with a small bow. Hubert quietly returned the gesture and Pascal awkwardly did the same.

 

"Likewise." Hubert frowned. "Abigail couldn't make it?"

 

"I'm afraid not," The president smiled weakly. "She's caught herself quite the fever. If she recovers with enough time, though, she'll be sure to meet us here."

 

"Boo," Pascal pouted. "I thought I would finally get the chance to know her."

 

"She was hoping the same thing about you," Dylan continued to speak, but Hubert tuned it out. He could hear...footsteps?

 

"I'm sure you two would get along quite well." The President finished. 

 

"We'll have to schedule a play date for the two of them, won't we?" A voice came from behind, and a hand now rested upon Hubert's shoulder.

 

"Ah, it's nice to see you in good spirits, Garret," The president said, and Hubert's father came out from behind him to shake Dylan's hand. 

 

"Hubert," He said softly, smiling. "Have you shown Pascal the pool yet? Or the beach?"

 

Hubert didn't answer, as he knew this was their cue to leave, so he silently grabbed Pascal's hand and led her outside to the swimming pool.

 

"Woah!" Pascal exclaimed, her hand breaking free from Hubert's the second they got outside. "This pool's huge! I'm cannonballing into this baby first chance I get!" She grinned.

 

"I don't see why you'd want to," Hubert sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Seeing as you hate baths so much."

 

"Shh!" She brought her finger to his lip and silenced him. "Don't let anyone here you!"

 

He was about to object to this, when he saw that a light blush tinted her cheeks. Was she...embarrassed by her lack of cleanliness? She seemed so shameless. It had never bothered her before. Why now?

 

"It's a totally different principle, anyway," Pascal added, turning around to face the pool once again. Beyond a large white gate was the sandy coast, speckled with just enough shells to be quaint, but not too many so that they become an annoyance. The sun was halfway through setting by now, and the sky had an abundance of purple and pink and yellow hues glazed across it. Hardly any clouds were visible, and the only noise was the rolling waves crashing against the shore.

 

"Hey," She said quietly, barely denting the silence that separated them but somehow brought them together. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and, God, Hubert had never seen her look so beautiful. "You're supposed to show me the beach, too."

 

Without another word, Hubert placed his arm around her waist and escorted her across the poolside and to the gate. He opened it quickly and motioned for her to go first, but she first removed her flip flops from her feet before stepping onto the sand. He guided her to what he figured was a good stopping point, and stood there with her. She leaned into him, and he wouldn't trade anything for this moment. They stood together, closer and more connected than ever before, their breathing in sync, and their minds and hearts at piece. 

 

Hubert figured now might be an excellent time to start practice kissing. For, y'know, when they have to fake it and make it look as genuine as possible.

 

No, he chastised himself. I'm not doing anything. I'm not going to risk losing this. 

 

He wanted to say something when he heard the gate open behind them. He turned and Pascal followed.

 

"Hubert? Uncle Garret told me you'd be - " Out stepped his cousin Raymond, completely ruining the mood. Hubert frowned. "Oh," Raymond's eyes widened. "Am I...interrupting...something?"

 

"No, no, you're ok." Pascal said, and Hubert dropped his hand from her waist. "We just got caught up in the sunset, that's all. Nice ta see ya, Raymond! How ya been?" She walked over to him and gave him a quick and awkward hug. Hubert couldn't help but feel jealous.

 

Pascal had always been suspicious of Raymond since the kidnapping incident, but since she started to travel more frequently, she constantly ran into him at the relief organization. Cheria seemed to be on good terms with him by that time, and they'd been getting along strongly ever since.

 

Well, as strong a friendship between these two polar opposites could be.

 

"Fine, fine." He said, patting her on the back and dismissing her. "There was a project for the relief organization and I had to catch a later ship, but I made it."

 

"So glad you could come," Hubert said, with more hostility than he would've liked. "What room are you staying in?"

 

"E7. I'm on your floor, I believe."

 

The other two nodded. 

 

"Neat! We'll be sure to stop by often." Pascal smiled at him. He couldn't help but smile back.

 

"Oh, yes. Anyway, Uncle Garret wanted me to call you two in - supper will be ready any minute."

 

"Y'okay!” Pascal smiled and began walking back towards the door. Hubert quickly followed behind. She slipped her sandals beneath her feet once again, and Raymond walked in front to lead them into the resort building. The other two walked together, but not before Hubert quickly slipped another hand around her waist.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a shorter chapter, because as i was writing it i thought it was going to be really long, so i wrapped it up quickly. hope you enjoy it just the same!

The two were escorted into the building’s dining hall - which was just as marvelous as the rest of it - by Raymond. Upon their advent, they found three seats on the right side of the table - between Garret on the left, and the President on the right. Raymond politely claimed the seat next to his uncle, while Hubert gentlemanly pulled the seat next to Paradine out for Pascal. He sat between the two. 

 

"Nice job playin' up the whole gallant boyfriend thing," Pascal whispered to Hubert, elbowing him playfully.

 

"Fake escort or not, it's the polite thing to do," He replied. His words were true. Even if they weren't caught up in this charade, he would still pull out her chair for her. And the worst part? He was sure she wouldn't notice it.

 

"A toast," The host tapped his fork against his wine glass politely, requesting the attention of those around him. "To everyone's safe arrivals here, and a hopefully wonderful trip."

 

Everyone clinked their wine glasses together (save for Hubert, who had not been served any wine, even though he could now legally drink it) and gave a uniform sip. Hubert grabbed Pascal's glass just as it parted her lips.

 

"Oh no you don't," He whispered quietly but sternly. "You know you can't hold your alcohol." He flashed back to the night at the Velanik inn, where she had been served a drink and - he didn't want to think about it.

 

"That was one time! Besides, that was harder liquor. This is red wine. Not gonna do the same thing." She started to sip. "And I was messing with you that night..."

 

"You thought it funny to pretend to want to strip?" Hubert snapped back.

 

"I was drunk. So my judgement was impaired." She shrugged. "I thought it was a good idea, at the time. It was pretty funny," She grinned at him, and how could he resist falling in love with that mischievous smile?

 

"It's of no concern to me," He waved a hand to dismiss her, lying through his teeth. "Do as you wish. But I will not be held responsible for any actions your impaired judgement will cause tonight, or for the next two weeks, for that matter."

 

"Great!" She cheered, sipping the wine. She immediately made a noise that Hubert did not recognize but knew it was not good. "Okay, maybe not." She set the glass down where it had been. "That's...disgustingly sweet."

 

Hubert snickered to himself. 

 

"Oh, ha ha," She mocked. "You managed to win in the end."

 

"It's what I do best."

 

He wasn't sure why, but that comment made them both go into a fit of giggling, much to the amusement of those around them. No matter what they did, the laughter would not stop.

 

That is, until Garret turned to them slowly, and Hubert went quiet.

 

Pascal was left to awkwardly giggle in solitude, meaning her laughter slowly died out as well. The table went silent and Hubert went red in the face. He looked to Pascal, who was bashfully looking down toward her lap.

 

The diners looked on with an unknown expression, then with delight. President Paradine placed a hand on Pascal's shoulder.

 

"I think we could all learn a thing from these two. Look how cheerful they are, and they just got here!"

 

The table erupted in laughter, and Pascal sighed happily. Hubert glanced over to her in relief. He was calm now, and much less insecure.

 

Well, that is, until Pascal rested a hand on his thigh softly, and out went any remaining shred of confidence. He sat there, stealing glances at the hand, lying perfectly on his leg as if it was supposed to be there and - why did the hand not look familiar? It looked so soft and feminine...likely due to the fact that she constantly covered them. Hubert wished she wouldn't if they looked like this. He tuned back into the conversation, hearing someone ask Pascal a question.

 

"You two are dating, I presume?"

 

She nodded sheepishly, and Hubert was surprised by how convincing she could be.

 

"Almost for two months now," He added, and the woman smiled.

 

"Oh, it seems our Hubert might get married after all~"

 

Hubert choked on his own spit. He turned to Pascal - suddenly the hand on his thigh started digging in to it - and her smile looked so forced, so phony.

 

"Not yet!" She laughed nervously. "Though," she began, and her tone shifted into one Hubert knew much better. "I can't say I haven't thought about it..."

 

Why would she say that? Why would she give them something to poke fun at, to tease about, to constantly dangle in front of him? And just why did it sound so genuine?!

 

"Very nice. You would be a lovely addition to the Oswell family, if I do say so myself." The woman turned to talk to another person, and Hubert heard a whisper from his left.

 

"What's going on, Hubert? I didn't know you two were dating," Raymond leaned into him and spoke to his ear.

 

"It's complicated," He replied. "Look, just come by our room later and I'll explain."

 

Raymond nodded hesitantly, and was about to continue speaking when a door at the back of the room opened. Suddenly, men and women in white uniforms began carting food out by the dozens. It looked good, even compared to the fact that Hubert ate nicely every night. Steaks, salads, and every kind of potato under the sun were dished out to each aristocrat at the table. He looked at Pascal, who stared at the plate in front of her.

 

"Looks good," She managed, trying to contain her drool. Hubert smiled.

 

"Surely you would have expected such an outcome," He replied. "Considering everything else here is very high class." 

 

"Shove it," She muttered, elbowing him in the arm. "And eat."

 

Pascal picked up her fork and began to do what Hubert could only describe as 'dig in', while he picked at his food. He hadn't been hungry since getting off the ship. Something about this whole ordeal felt wrong to him, unnatural and immoral. Still, seeing her so happy eased his nerves a bit, and so he took a bite of his food. 

 

Ah. There was that hunger that had gone missing a few hours back.

 

The two sat in a quiet state of content as they continued to eat, Pascal's hand never leaving Hubert's leg. They were just embracing the chatter around them, and not participating.

 

Until now, that is.

 

"So!" A woman from the far left end asked. "How did you two meet, anyway?"

 

Finally, Hubert thought. A question I can answer in complete honesty.

 

"My brother, Asbel Lhang, had met her sleeping under a tree - " A chuckle from those around. "I'm being serious. They quickly became friends, and on our mission to stop King Richard, she came along. It's quite a good thing too, considering she was so helpful."

 

Pascal turned to him and winked. "That's right!"

 

Some members of the table started to giggle, and the two of them stole a glance at each other. Things were going perfectly! They could absolutely keep this up for two weeks. 

 

"Ooh, here comes desert!" A woman from the far end of the table announced, and Pascal lurched forward to get a closer look. Another cart was wheeled out, this time with cakes and pies and pastries and all sorts of sweet treats. She nudged Hubert's shoulder, and he smiled.

 

"I could get used to living like this," She whispered, eying a particularly dark chocolate cake being passed to Raymond.

 

"I wouldn't have invited you if I didn't think you'd enjoy it, now would I have?" He replied, stealing a piece of peach cobbler that was headed his way. 

 

"Aww, you like me~" She sang back.

 

"W-What?!" Hubert's eyes widened. Had she already caught on?

 

"Well, you could've just as easily invited Sophie or Asbel or Richard or whoever. But you picked me!"

 

"Right. Thanks for reminding me what a mistake I made." He flashed her a dark grin.

 

"Rude!" She stuck out her tongue, and they both smiled.

 

Dessert quickly wrapped up after that, and people began heading back to their rooms. The two glanced at each other, then stood.

 

"We'll be heading to bed now," Hubert said, the sudden realization that yes, they, together, would be going to a room, in which they'd spend the entire night in close quarters, until the morning.

 

"See you all tomorrow!" Pascal announced, waving a hand while pushing in her chair. They were both met with a chorus of good nights, and were halfway out the door before Hubert heard something that eased his nerves.

 

"Good night to all of you," Raymond said, his voice soft. Quickly, his footsteps grew louder and louder until he was on Hubert's left. "Now," He said, once they were officially out of earshot of the guests. "Care to explain this little situation?"

 

"Let's get up to the room first," Hubert sighed, more than relieved to have Raymond be the delay to the inevitable. Unless he slept on the floor. Which he wasn't going to do.

 

* * *

 

"I see," Raymond said, sitting on their bed, his legs crossed. The two stood in front of him and had explained the entire situation in detail (perhaps a little more detail than Hubert cared for). "I must admit, Pascal, that was pretty clever of you to think of. And on the spot as well!"

 

"Thanks, Ray!" Pascal grinned and Hubert felt that little drop in his chest, that little flutter of his muscles and that flush come to his cheeks. The 5th time he'd fallen in love since she came to his house this morning? Likely.

 

"Though," Raymond added, standing. "I can't say I'd feel morally correct taking part in this." Hubert clenched his teeth. Raymond, worried about his morals? Unlikely. He glanced at Pascal, who was flashing him one of her 'yeah, right' looks. "I think it's up to the two of you to keep this shenanigan up. But I won't resist helping you if you get in a tight spot."

 

"Much obliged," Hubert said, a half smiled escaping onto his lips as he tried to contain a giggle. 

 

"Yeah, Raymond, thanks," Pascal added, noticing Hubert's tone and pursing her lips. So she's trying not to laugh too, Hubert thought. Why was it that things were always funnier when you weren't supposed to laugh?

 

"Well, I suppose I'll be heading to bed." He made his way toward the door. "Goodnight, you two love birds."

 

"Night, Raymond." Pascal replied, in a strained voice.

 

"Until tomorrow." Hubert added.

 

The door shut quietly. 

 

The two burst into laughter.

 

"I, I don't even know, why we're laughing," Pascal managed between giggles.

 

"It's, likely because -" Hubert took a deep breath. "Because we're tired, I would bet."

 

"Still," Pascal said, wiping a tear. "Yeah. I'm beat! I'll go get changed in the bathroom." She went over to the corner where she had left her suitcase and began to rummage.

 

"We're going to be here for two weeks," He chastised. "I hope you're not planning on living out of a suitcase when we have dressers."

 

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get to it tomorrow. You haven't even unpacked either - Aha!" She stood, proud to be holding up a large Sunscreen Rangers t-shirt. "Be right back~" She shut the bathroom door.

 

Hubert figured now was as good a time as any to get changed himself. He went to his suitcase, found his night clothes and quickly got changed in case Pascal decided to come out without any forewarning.

 

Sure enough, she came out, however Hubert had already finished changing.  

 

"Aaaaahhh," She yawned, her arms up and stretching. Hubert glanced over to her, and -

 

"Where are your pants?!" He screamed, covering his mouth quickly. That was loud. He turned and looked at the floor, worried about where his eyes might wander if he continued to look. 

 

"I don't sleep with pants," She replied quietly. "Too hot. Especially in a beach resort on the southern coast of a desert. But I've got panties on, it's all good~" He heard the waistband of her...delicates...snap onto her skin and oh my god, he was going to lose it. 

 

"T-t-that's entirely too indecent! Pascal, y-you need to dress yourself properly."

 

"Yeah, well, if I was sleeping by myself I wouldn't have to now would I?" She teased. "Whatever." She ran to the bed, undid it quickly and crawled under the covers. "You coming to sleep or not?"

 

"Fine." He stood up and turned the lights out, save for the bedside lamp. As he was walking toward the bed, removing his glasses, he noticed Pascal was smiling. He gladly would've smiled back, if he didn't feel so disgustingly embarrassed. He got under the blankets hesitantly, and ok wow that was her leg, and ok there she is, not even a foot away from him, and ok this is fine. He turned off the lamp and positioned himself as far from her as he could be.

 

"Aww, don't be like that." She said, putting a hand on his waist. "I know it's probably weird to share a bed with someone that isn't family, but I'm like, your best friend!"

 

"W-Which is exactly what makes it so...wrong." He muttered.

 

"You're so mean, Hu~" She sang, inching closer. It certainly didn't help that she was whispering, giving her voice that certain breathiness that absolutely drove him mad -

 

"Pascal, please!"

 

"You're gonna have to get used to it sooner or later!" She said, coming closer still, so much so that he could feel the curvature of her body framing his. "Besides, I'm a cuddler~"

 

He said nothing, partly because he didn't know what to say, and partly because anything he could say could make him risk losing this.

 

"Fine." He said, grabbing the hand that was on his waist and pulling it in front of him. He had to admit, in all of his fantasies about Pascal, being the little spoon in their first time cuddling was not one of them.

 

"There we go." Pascal scooched to match the frame of his body entirely, then said nothing. 

 

Hubert waited, and waited, until he felt her breathing pattern shift as her chest rose and fell against his back.

 

"Pascal?" He whispered, and didn't get a response. "I love you," He said softly, placing his hand on top of hers. Getting that out should let him rest easy now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment you've all been waiting for.

Awoken by the sound of birds the next morning, Hubert found himself facing the other direction, now toward the window as opposed to the door of the room. His eyes opened slightly; Pascal lay in front of him, facing him. A beam of sunlight shone from a crack in the drapes and graced the space around her, giving her a warm, heavenly glow. Her hair was tousled, in a way that made her sleep look very peaceful. Her lips slightly parted, her eyes closed softly. Hubert had never seen her look so absolutely beautiful, so serene and peaceful. One of his hands was in hers. He reached over to get his glasses, careful not to let the hand intertwined in hers shift even slightly. Now that he could see, he leaned forward, suddenly nervous, and softly touched his lips to her forehead, not letting him treat himself but giving a small message that he cared. He stayed still, kissing her for the better part of five seconds before he heard her make a slight noise. In a panicked frenzy, he tore his hand from hers and got out of the bed.

 

“Morning,” She mumbled, seemingly unaware of his actions. Her eyelids were lowered, likely due to still being tired but still sensual looking, in a way. 

 

“Good morning,” He said nervously, tugging at the collar of his pajamas, as if he had to look presentable. “I assume you slept well?”

 

“Sure, sure, like a baby.” She sat up, and yawned. Why was she so cute? Hubert continued to look around the room, trying to notice something different. "What time is it?"

 

Hubert turned to face the window. "Fairly early, I assume. The sun is pretty far east -"

 

"That's new. I'm totally a late riser!" She smiled. 

 

He glanced at the floor. "Oh, uh," he stuttered, not wanting to get the words out. "Did I wake you?"

 

"What, when you got out of the bed? I don't think so..." Hubert let out a huge sigh. So she didn't know. Thank his lucky stars. "So, when's breakfast?"

 

"Oh, we only have dinner together. Breakfast and lunch are whenever you'd like them. The breakfast hall is downstairs, if you'd like to eat now."

 

"Um, it's still pretty early, right?" She asked, glancing out the window. "If everyone else is asleep,"

 

"Which is probably true," Hubert interrupted. 

 

"Then, I guess now would be a good time to...uh...practice."

 

"Practice?" He turned to her. "What do you - "

 

"You know what I mean."

 

"...Oh."

 

Oh. 

 

No, not now. Hubert was not ready. He felt his heart drop, his palms grew sweaty, he bit his lip. He had to, right? He'd rather it be now, in here, alone, with her, on a bed, her wearing almost only a t-shirt...

 

No. He would rather kiss her now and get it out of the way than in front of his family and friends. And the president.

 

Slowly, he made his way to the bed and sat on his knees. She got up onto her knees, so they were eye level. He gazed into her eyes, a brilliant topaz like no other.

 

"This is gonna be weird and awkward. I promise. But we'll get better."

 

He nodded. It was all he could do. He wasn't sure if he wanted to scream or vomit or laugh or cry, so instead, he nodded.

 

This is it, he thought, leaning forward. This is the moment I've been waiting for since a year and a half ago, something I've looked forward to since that fateful day when she saved my life. The moment he's fantasized about a million times, the moment he was going to shove in the captain's face, the moment that would lead to his wedding and his children and the rest of his life. Maybe that was why he was so nervous. He could screw up his entire life if he screwed this up. He closed his eyes, opened his mouth slightly, and continued to lean, and lean, and lean...

 

Until he fell into her shoulder.

 

He would rather be struck dead now than look up at her. There was nothing he wouldn't rather do than face her after that.

 

Instead, she giggled. "See! I told you, we're gonna be bad at this."

 

He got up, a little bit less worried that she would hate him forever. Of course she wouldn't. She was Pascal. She was kind and beautiful and smart and forgiving. She said we. Even though that was all his fault. Just goes to show what a caring person she was.

 

"Hey, is this gonna be your first kiss?"

 

His face flushed. It was going to be his first kiss that he initiated, that he wanted, the first kiss he would share with someone he could truly say he loved. He had kissed a few girls in his academy days, and that one Katz kissed him in Katz Korner, but...

 

"Oh! Sorry. That was rude." She smiled nervously. He said nothing. "Um, anyway, let's get this show on the road. Here, let me..." She reached for his collar and pulled him forward softly. Hubert closed his eyes tightly, ready for his heart to beat out of his chest and kill him already.

 

Until his lips met hers.

 

It was entirely new sensation to him. His body tingled. Her mouth hugged his perfectly, her lips were soft and pillowy, her fingers left his collar and held his hands. He could feel her breathing into him, feel her pulse and noticed she seemed just as nervous as he was. Why was that? The kiss lasted only about 3 seconds, but it felt like 3 hours and 3 moments at the same time. She pulled away from him gently, and he had to fight the urge to pull her back. There was nothing better than this feeling, than to lock lips and truly be as close as possible to the one he loved.

 

"See? Not so bad." She smiled, and her face was starting to lose its rosy color. It took every ounce of his willpower to not lurch forward, pin her to the bed, suck on that beautiful neck of hers, continue to kiss her and tell her how much he loved her, and continue to show his love until nature took its course.

 

Instead, he nodded.

 

"But you better learn where my lips are," She smirked. "I don't want to kiss you all the time."

 

"Of course." A little more confident than he had been a minute ago, he placed his hands on her shoulders and brought her to him, now finding her lips with his.

 

Immediately he could tell that she was the better kisser. His movements were stiff and he didn't know what to do. His grip on her shoulders tightened, his lips tensed.

 

"Relax," She breathed into him, sending a chill down his spine. "It's just a kiss."

 

Just a kiss. Just the act of love he's been waiting to share with her for longer than he can exactly remember. That's all.

 

She pulled away, making this kiss last a little bit longer than the last. "Ok. I think we've got it down now."

 

He wanted to say, 'No, I don't think I'll ever have it down, because now everytime I see those lips again I'll want them on mine' but instead, he nodded.

 

"Alrighty then!" She shot up from her spot on the bed. "I guess I'll unpack my suitcase now -"

 

"Perhaps you'll put some pants on as well?" Hubert suggested.

 

"Oh, come on, does it really bug you that much?" She turned back to him, a half smile on her face.

 

"Not that it matters." He got up. "I'd much rather bathe now. I know, not something that really appeals to you -"

 

"Aww, you don't want to go to the beach?" She said, folding a tank top. 

 

"Where did you get that idea?"

 

"There's no reason to shower before you swim. They've got outdoor showers on the beach." She placed the top into a drawer, then reached into her suitcase to grab another. "Come on, it'd be fun!"

 

"I suppose you're right." He smiled. "Either way, I'll grab my trunks and go to get changed in here." He opened the door to the bathroom.

 

"Oh, I guess I will too. Just come out after like, 5 minutes. I'll be done by then."

 

"Of course."

 

"Unless, of course, you want a sneak peek~"

 

Hubert was simply too embarrassed to respond, so he ran into the bathroom, slammed the door, and sank to the floor. In what world did he ever think he could do this?!

 

He quickly got changed, and waited as much time as he thought necessary (which he allowed extra time for, considering she could certainly go at her own pace). In a bit of an awkward motion, he knocked on the bathroom door to indicate he would soon be entering. 

 

"Yeah, you're good," He heard through the door, and proceeded back to the main room. He glanced toward her, a little more quickly than he would've liked. He'd rather catch a cold and be sick in bed for the rest of this trip than let on that he was interested in her new swimsuit.

 

And that interest was certainly not unwarranted. She stood by her suitcase, beaming in a deep navy bikini. The bottom piece was small and rode up her thighs slightly, the top a halter, rather skimpy. Hubert looked at the floor.

 

"Cute, right?" She asked, playing with the strings. "I bought it and another one, super special for this trip!"

 

Of course she looked cute. He flashed back to only minutes earlier, her breathing into him on the same bed she stood beside, and took a breath. Compose yourself, Hubert.

 

"That's a good color on you..." He managed, toying with the strings on his trunks. 

 

"I totally agree!" She gave him a large grin, and Hubert added a stroke to the mental tally mark of falling in love. "You ready to head down?"

 

"They probably have towels down there, so I suppose we should."

 

"Great! Oh, and we should eat."

 

They proceeded as normal, riding down the elevator, a bit of an awkward silence when Hubert realized that not too long ago they had been connected at the lips. Breakfast was quick and simple, some toast for him and a stack of pancakes for her. They then continued on out through the back of the lobby and out to the pool deck. Each grabbed a towel, opened the gate and headed toward the shore.

 

"Y'know," Pascal said, finally breaking the silence. "You were right. I couldn't really tell yesterday, but this ocean is beautiful."

 

"I told you. Don't tell me you don't trust me?" Hubert nudged her playfully, flashing back to their conversation on the boat yesterday. 

 

"It's not that!" She giggled, giving him one of the sweetest smiles he had ever seen. "I just wanna look at the eleth in the area."

 

He frowned.

 

"There you go again with that! What the heck is your problem, anyway?" She gave a pout, and it seemed sincere enough. He heaved a heavy sigh, the sound of seagulls cawing filling his brain.

 

"I hate to come off as rude, but," He started, and considered backing off. No. He promised - no more lying. "Do you really have to dedicate every second of your time on this trip to research?"

 

That was apparently not the response she had expected, as her expression shifted quickly to one of pure confusion. "What do you mean?"

 

"This is supposed to be a chance to get away from daily life - for both of us - and you're doing exactly what you do back home." He stated. His words sounded harsh rolling off his tongue, but he couldn't help it. No more lies. Pascal cycled through looking like she had something to say and keeping quiet.

 

"Ok." She said, and smiled. "Ok, ok, ok. I won't do much research, if it's that important to you.” She ended her sentence with a certain enunciation, indicating a certain playfulness.

 

He smiled, falling in love again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hnnng maybe don't trust an aroace girl who hasn't had her first kiss to try and describe what kissing is like 
> 
> ANYWAY I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG !!!! but i'm back and I'm hopefully here to stay B) lots of people left kudos even during the hiatus which kinda motivated me to finish this chapter finally so if you want more let me know with your affection

**Author's Note:**

> aaaah Im still actually really motivated to keep writing this!! there was a whole lot of exposition and not a lot of plot, but fear not, you'll get frustrated with these twos lack of communication soon enough~


End file.
